SEATTLE (AP) -- An Alaska Airlines jetliner bound for the Los
Angeles area turned back and made an emergency landing Saturday
afternoon after a fake explosive device was found in a carry-on
bag.
Chutes on the MD-80 series airliner were deployed and passengers
slid to the ground, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport spokesman
Bob Parker said. He said two people suffered minor injuries from
the slide and were treated at the scene and released.
Parker said the bag was found under a seat and no one on board
the Ontario, Calif.-bound jet claimed it, so the pilots turned
around for Seattle.
''It's a piece of carry-on luggage designed to look like it has
an explosive inside, with wires and such,'' Parker said, adding
that it was not the type of training device used by the airport. He
did not know which airline or organization would use such a device.
The incident was being treated by Port of Seattle Police as a
criminal investigation, Parker said.
''The question is, was it left over from a training exercise or
did someone put it on the aircraft with bad intent?'' he said.
An Alaska Airlines spokesman did not immediately return a call
seeking comment Saturday.